


Over the rainbow

by Tuliharja



Series: Old Magic, New Era [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Accidents, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, At least without my permission, Blood, Brothers, Bullying, Don't copy to another site, Familiars, Fantasy, Gen, General, Implied Death, Implied Violence, Little Brothers, Magic, Magic Eyes, Modern Era, Monstrous, One Shot, Protectiveness, Rainbows, School, Singing, Smile, Suspense, Symbolism, The Wizard of Oz - Freeform, alternative universe, itama has dual familiars, itama is very creepy child, mythical, naruto-fantasy-week, naruto-fantasy-week 2020, over the rainbow, protective little brother, second day prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tuliharja/pseuds/Tuliharja
Summary: There is something highly unsettling in the way Itama smiles to him. Magic AU. One-shot.
Relationships: Senju Itama & Senju Hashirama, Senju Itama & Senju Tobirama
Series: Old Magic, New Era [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1315256
Kudos: 13





	Over the rainbow

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry to [naruto-fantasy-week](https://naruto-fantasy-week.tumblr.com) for second day’s prompt [“Mythical I Monstrous”](https://naruto-fantasy-week.tumblr.com/post/614769238299787264/2020-prompts).

The young one looked down on him, smiling his innocent smile. It was a smile that one would typically see upon a child's face - pure, cute and full of naivety. In fact, there was still clearly some baby fat in the youngster's face, telling that he was barely a teen. All in all, there wasn't anything that should have made sweat slowly start to form on Obito's forehead as he watched Itama.

But it was there. Something made Obito's breath quicken a bit, while adrenaline pumped quickly into his veins. He realized what this reaction was: fight or flight. He was scared. He, a few years older, Uchiha Obito was scared of mere brat.

Itama slowly closed his eyes, flashing Obito an even sweeter smile. It reminded him of Hashirama's larger than life smile. However, there was enough that made him think Tobirama as well, reminding Obito of his calculating and cold look. While Hashirama was like a big puppy, Tobirama was like a cat, ready to pounce if opportunity came. It made Tobirama dangerous, as he was a feline predator while his older brother was a canine companion. Obito knew canines could be dangerous though, but not in same way as predators: those always aimed for the weak spots, like a neck where one's vein pulsed like a hummingbird. Quickly, rapidly, before it became a bloody mess.

This was the signal Itama was giving him, while his smile was friendly, almost inviting. It made Obito want to trust the brat, but…

"I heard you hurt Tobi-nii," Itama finally spoke, his tone light and merry. The words and actions clashed against each other, making Obito's stomach twist into a knot.

He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.

"It…it was a joke! Nothing else!" he quickly defended himself, wondering why his voice sounded so high pitch. Or was it just himself? He wasn't sure.

A hum was his answer, before Itama was suddenly in his space. Panic exploded inside of Obito, making him want to run. But he couldn't, because a lukewarm hand had grabbed his wrist. Itama had caught him and it was obvious he wouldn't let him go.

"A joke, you say?" Itama asked, finally opening his eyes. What greeted Obito wasn't a set of grey eyes, but one pitch-black one and one bloody red one.

Obito felt the blood in his veins turn into pure ice. It wasn't possible for one's eye to change color like that…right?

"Let me let you inside an inside joke, eh?" Itama hummed, his tone still light while his hold upon Obito's wrist tightened painfully. "My big brother Hashirama is always full of rainbows and sunshines, while Tobi-nii seems gloomy and dark, eh? But…after each gloomy and dark day comes one that is filled with light and warmness, while before each rainbow and sunshine there is always a dark, dark thunderstorm. Isn't it funny, how we only see what we wish to see?"

By now Obito had tried to pull his hand away from the brat but couldn't succeed. Itama's grip was like an iron cuff around his wrist.

"Hey, look at me," the other one ordered now, making Obito stop his struggling and lift his look fearfully into Itama's odd eyes. Eyes that promised pain. Eyes that promised torture. Eyes that told a tale of great love.

"I'll let you off the hook, this time," Itama promised, a smile ever present in his features. "But if you ever hurt Tobi-nii again…"

The youngster merely tilted his head, perhaps wondering what he would do to Obito. The mere idea just scared him as it was obvious Itama had thought his first option wasn't enough bad.

"Yes, I understand," Obito quickly agreed, just to realize he had said it too fast. His words weren't convincing. Those didn't even sound convincing in his own ears, so how could they sound to Itama's?

Obito could see how a wheel turned inside of Itama's mind, looking down on him, even though Obito was taller. To pounce or not to pounce…it was the question that was written all across Itama's face as he looked down on him, like Obito was a mere mouse. That thought wasn't a farfetched one, as Obito actually felt like a tiny mouse. Scratch that, he was a mouse. A pathetic, squeaky one that had thought he was a lion. One that could bully others. One that could bully a real predator, because in the end he had been scared. Somewhere inside of him he had always known, he was a mere mouse. But he had wanted to be more. Oh, so more. That's why he had wanted to show Rin, Kakashi and everybody how strong and brave he was.

Picking Tobirama hadn't been bravery or strength. It had been pathetic.

"I-Itama…I…I understand…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…please…I…" words stumbled from Obito's mouth like all Tobirama's school supplies had stumbled from the bag Obito had grabbed. A small bottle of ink had scattered across the floor, ruining Tobirama's bag's content. He could still remember Tobirama's annoyed look and…there had been a hint of weariness, but he had hidden it underneath his icy look. Obito hadn't cared. He had been a coward. And like a coward, he had pushed and pushed, until Tobirama had fled. For a moment back then Obito had thought Tobirama was beautiful. White. Red…and then more red. Too much red.

"I'm not the one you should apologize to," Itama's words cut Obito's memories. "But you already know that…don't you?"

Not even a single word left anymore from Obito's lips as behind Itama was two shadows: one made of pure whiteness while one was made of pitch-blackness. It was the last thing he saw, before he felt how Itama's hold from his wrist was released and he fell. At the same time, he heard a gentle hum that turned into words.

" _Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high and the dreams that you dream of…_ " the person, Itama, sang while Obito's vision blurred as white-shocking pain pierced his whole being. Somewhere at the back of his mind he wondered if Tobirama had felt similar pain as he was feeling now, when he had been sprawled over the asphalt, slowly bleeding…

"…from death in a purgatory."

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, the title of this one-shot is reference to " _The Wizard of Oz_ " -movie and at the end where Itama sings (in italics) is too from the movie.


End file.
